> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://kasplo.gitbook.io/kasplo-doc/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://kasplo.gitbook.io/kasplo-doc/product-docs/overview/contacts/understanding-consent-in-contacts.md).

# Understanding Consent in Contacts

Consent is a key part of how Kasplo helps you send messages responsibly and stay compliant. Every contact in your account must have proper permission (consent) before you can send messages via Email,SMS and WA

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### 🧠 What is Consent?

**Consent** means the contact has explicitly agreed to receive marketing or transactional communication from you on one or more channels.

Kasplo tracks consent **channel-wise**, so a contact can be:

* Subscribed to **Email**, but not SMS or WhatsApp
* Subscribed to all channels
* Unsubscribed from one or more

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### 📌 Consent Requirements in Kasplo

* **Email Address is Mandatory** for every contact, regardless of the channel
* **Phone Number is Required** to send SMS or WhatsApp
* **Consent must be collected before uploading** any contact

Kasplo does **not auto-assign consent**. It's your responsibility to ensure the contacts you upload or sync have opted in to the relevant channels.

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### 📊 How Consent is Tracked

Each contact's channel status reflects their consent:

| Channel  | Subscribed = Has Consent | Suppressed = No Consent                                |
| -------- | ------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------ |
| Email    | Yes                      | Unsubscribed, Bounced, Complained, Manually Suppressed |
| SMS      | Yes                      | Unsubscribed, Complained, Manual                       |
| WhatsApp | Yes                      | Unsubscribed, Complained, Manual                       |

You can see consent status clearly on each contact’s profile.

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### 🚫 What Happens if Consent is Missing?

If a contact is:

* **Unsubscribed**: They won’t receive messages for that channel
* **Suppressed**: They’re blocked from all messaging until reactivated
* **Missing phone/email**: They can’t receive SMS/WA/email, even if consent is marked

Kasplo automatically **skips suppressed contacts** during sends to protect your sender reputation.

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### ✅ Best Practices

* Always collect consent before uploading contacts
* Use double opt-in for better quality (optional)
* Respect unsubscribes and do not re-upload suppressed contacts
* Track opt-in sources if possible (e.g., form, website, offline)